Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
MODULAR WORK TOP PANEL WITH RECESSED TOP
AND FORMABLE EDGES AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
Background of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a modular work top panel which is usable,
for
example, as a top for a desk or table, and in particular to a work top panel
having a recessed
top adapted to receive various different types of ornamental panels, which
form the exposed
top surface of the top panel and which includes interchangeable edge members,
such that
edge members having a particular selected configuration may be used with the
top panel or
which includes edge members that may be formed to a desired configuration
prior to or after
attachment to the top panel.
Work tops such as the tops of desks and tables typically include a decorative
planar
work surface usually formed from wood or plastic laminates. Such work tops
also typically
include decorative edge treatments which may also be made from wood or
plastic. Due to
the numerous different types of woods and the numerous different types of
patterns and
finishes of plastic laminates and edging that are available for use with work
tops,
manufacturers must keep a large number of different types of work tops and
edges in
inventory in order to provide timely delivery of orders for a number of
requested work tops
having a work surface with a desired material, pattern and finish and also
with the desired
edge treatments. The present invention provides a modular work top panel which
is adapted
to receive various types of edge treatments and work surface materials as
requested by a
customer, allowing the quick and easy fabrication of the desired style of work
top and
eliminating the need to maintain a large number of various different styles of
work tops and
edging in inventory.
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a modular work top panel adapted to provide a
work
surface. The work top panel includes a core assembly comprising a tray having
a bottom
panel and first and second channel members respectively located at opposing
ends of the tray
and attached to the bottom panel. Each channel member includes a wall
extending upwardly
from the bottom panel and a flange extending inwardly from the top edge of the
wall such
that the channel members are formed in an inverted L-shape. The bottom panel
also includes
a first edge extending between the channel members and a second edge spaced
apart from
and extending parallel to the first edge which also extends between the
channel members.
A light- weight high-strength honeycomb material is located on the interior
surface of the
bottom panel and extends between the opposing walls of-the channel members.
The
honeycomb structure also extends between the first and second edges of the
bottom panel but
is spaced apart from both the first and second edges.
The core assembly also includes a top panel which extends over the honeycomb
structure generally parallel to and spaced apart from the bottom panel of the
tray. The top
panel includes an upper surface, a first edge which extends adjacent to and
spaced apart from
the first edge of the bottom panel and a second edge which extends adjacent to
and spaced
apart from the second edge of the bottom panel. The top panel also extends
between the
opposing flanges of the channel members of the tray. The core assembly
includes a first
chamber located between the top panel and the bottom panel at the first edges
of the top and
bottom panels, and a second chamber located between the top panel and the
bottom panel at
the second edges of the top and bottom panels.
The modular work top panel also includes first and second edge members. Each
edge
member includes a body portion having an upper lip and a tongue extending
outwardly from
2
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
.the body portion. The tongue of the first edge member is adapted to be
inserted within the
first chamber between the top and bottom panels such that the body portion is
located
exterior of the first chamber. The upper lip of the body portion of the first
member is
adapted to project upwardly from the first edge member above the upper surface
of the top
panel and along the first edge of the top panel. The tongue of the second edge
member is
adapted to be inserted within the second chamber between the top and bottom
panels with the
body portion of the second edge member being located exterior of the second
chamber. The
upper lip of the body portion of the second edge member projects upwardly from
the second
edge member above the upper surface of the top panel. adjacent to the second
edge thereof.
The opposing upper lips of the first and second edge members form a recess
therebetweeen
above the upper surface of the top panel which is adapted to receive one of a
plurality of
different types of work surface panels as desired. The work surface panel is
typically a
wood veneer or a plastic laminate. The edge members are preferably made from
wood such
that the body portions may be formed to a desired shape or contour by wood
cutting
machinery, such as a router, prior to or after attachment of the edge members
to the core
assembly. A decorative trim piece may additionally be selectively attached to
the body
portion of edge members formed to be attachable thereto, if desired.
Brief Description of the Drawing-s
Figure 1 is an isometric cut-away view of the work top panel of the present
invention.
Figure 2 is a cut=away top view of the work top panel.
Figure 3 is a side view of the work top panel.
Figure 4 is an exploded isometric view of the work top panel with an unformed
edge
blank.
3
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
Figure 5 is a side view of a formed edge member.
Figure 6 is a side view of an edge member having an alternate configuration.
Figure 7 is a side view of an edge member having another configuration.
Figure 8 is a side view of an edge member having a trim piece attached
thereto.
Figure 9 is a side view of an edge member having a trim piece with an
alternate
configuration attached thereto.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The modular work top panel 10 of the present invention is adapted for use as
the top
of a desk, table or other article of furniture. The top panel 10 includes a
core assembly 12.
The core assembly ~ 12 includes a tray 14 having a generally planar bottom
panel 16. The
bottom panel 16 includes an interior surface 18 and an opposing exterior
surface 20. The
bottom panel 16 is generally rectangular and extends between a generally
linear front edge
22 and an opposing linear rear edge 24 which extends generally parallel to and
spaced apart
from the front edge 22. The bottom panel 16 also extends between a generally
linear left
edge 26 and a generally linear right edge 28 which extends generally parallel
to and spaced
apart from the left edge 26.
The tray 14 also includes a generally L-shaped left channel member 30. The
left
channel member 30 includes a generally rectangular and planar wall 32 which
extends along
and upwardly from the left edge 26 of the bottom panel 16 at a generally
perpendicular angle
thereto. A generally planar and rectangular flange 34 extends inwardly from
the top edge
of the wall 32 to a linear interior edge 36. The flange 34 is generally
parallel to and spaced
apart from the bottom panel 16. The tray 14 also includes a generally L-shaped
right
channel member 44. The right channel member 44 includes a generally
rectangular and
4
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
planar wall 46. which is attached to and extends along the length of the right
edge 28 of the
bottom panel 16 and which extends upwardly therefrom at an angle generally
perpendicular
to the bottom panel 16. The right channel member 44 also includes a generally
rectangular
and planar flange 48 which extends inwardly from the top edge of the wall 46
to a generally
linear interior edge 50. The flange 48 is spaced apart from and extends
generally parallel
to the bottom panel 16 and to the flange 34.
The core assembly 12 also includes a rectangular honeycomb structure 58 which
is
generally light-weight and rigid. The honeycomb structure 58 may be formed
from paper,
cardboard, plastic or other materials as desired. The honeycomb structure 58
is located on
the interior surface 18 of the panel 16 and may be secured thereto by suitable
adhesives if
desired. The honeycomb structure 58 has a height which enables the honeycomb
structure
58 to fit closely between the bottom panel 16 and the flanges 34 and 48 of the
channel
members 30 and 44. The honeycomb structure 58 extends from the wall 32 of the
left
channel member 30 to the wall 46 of the right channel member 44. The honeycomb
structure 58 also extends between positions adjacent to the left edge 26 and
right edge 28 of
the bottom panel 16. The edges of the honeycomb structure 58 are spaced apart
from the
left edge 26 and right edge 28 thereby leaving a portion of the interior
surface 18 of the
bottom panel 16 exposed at and along the edges 26 and 28 to form respective
chambers as
described below. The core assembly 12 also includes a generally rectangular
and planar
top panel 64 having an upper surface 66. The top panel 64 is placed on top of
the
honeycomb structure 58 and may be secured thereto by various types of
adhesives or other
fastening means. The top panel 64 extends between a generally linear front
edge b8 and a
generally linear rear edge 70 which is spaced apart from and extends generally
parallel to the
front edge 68. The top panel 64 also extends between a generally linear left
edge 72 and a
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
generally linear right edge 74 which is spaced apart from and extends
generally parallel to
the left edge 72. The left edge 72 of the top panel 64 abuts and extends along
the interior
edge 36 of the flange 34 of the left channel member 30 and the right edge 74
of the top panel
64 abuts and extends along the interior edge SO of the flange 48 of the right
channel member
44. The front edge 68 of the top panel 64 is located vertically above and
extends generally
parallel to and spaced apart from the front edge 22 of the bottom panel 16.
The rear edge
70 of the top panel 64 is located vertically above and is spaced apart from
and extends
generally parallel to the rear edge 24 of the bottom panel 16. The top panel
64 and the tray
14 of the disclosed embodiment are preferably made from 0.030 inch thick
electrogalvanized
steel plate, or in other thicknesses or with other metals, or with other
materials, such as
plastic, as desired. The use of the light-weight honeycomb structure 58
between the panels
16 and 64 provides a core assembly 12 which achieves a durable and sturdy
light-weight
work surface which overcomes the problems encountered with the use of heavy
work surface
materials such as particleboard or plywood.
The core assembly 12 includes a front chamber 78 formed between the top panel
64
and the bottom panel 16 adjacent the front edges 68 and 22 thereof and between
the left
channel member 30 and the right channel member 44. The front chamber 78
extends from
the front edges 22 and 68 inwardly to the honeycomb structure 58. A rear
chamber 80 is
formed between the top panel 64 and the bottom panel 16 adjacent the rear
edges 70 and 24
thereof and between the left channel member 30 and the right channel member
44. The rear
chamber 80 extends from the rear edges 70 and 24 of the top panel 64 and
bottom panel 16
to the honeycomb structure 58. Although the core assembly 12 has been
described as
generally rectangular, it may also be formed in other shapes as desired such
as circular,
elliptical, triangular or various curved and polygonal shapes:
6
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
The top panel 10 also includes one or more edge members 88. As shown in
Figures
1-3, the edge members 88 of the top panel 10 include a front edge member 90
and a rear
edge member 92. Each edge member 88 is elongate extending between a first end
96 and
a second end 98. As best shown in Figure 5, each edge member 88 includes a
main body
portion 100 which extends between the first and second ends 96 and 98 and an
elongate
tongue 102 which extends outwardly from and along the body portion 100. The
tongue 102
is generally rectangular such that the tongue 102 may be inserted into the
front chamber 78
or rear chamber 80 of the core assembly 12 such that the tongue 102 extends
between the
top panel 64 and bottom panel 16 and between the left channel member 30 and
right channel
member 44. The tongue 102 may include an elongate groove 104.
The body portion 100 of the edge members 88 includes an exterior surface 105.
The
exterior surface 105 includes an upper surface 106, a lower surface 108, and a
front surface
110 which extends between the upper surface 106 and lower surface 108. The
body portion
100 also includes an elongate upper shoulder 112 which extends from the tongue
102 to the
upper surface 106, an elongate lower lip 114 which extends from the tongue 102
to the lower
surface 108, and two end lips 116 which respectively extend between the tongue
102 and the
body portion 100 at each end 96 and 98 of the edge member 88. The upper
shoulder 112
is adapted to abut and extend along the front or rear edge 68 or 70 of the top
panel 64 and
the ends of the flanges 34 and 48 of the channel members 30 and 44. The lower
lip 114 is
adapted to abut and extend along the front or rear edge 22 or 24 of the bottom
panel 16.
The end lips 116 are adapted to abut and extend along the ends of the walls 32
and 46 of the
channel members 30 and 44.
The tongue 102 of the front edge member 90 is inserted into the front chamber
78 and
is secured to the core assembly 12 by fasteners such as screws or by a
suitable adhesive.
7
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
The tongue 102 of the rear edge member 92 is inserted into the rear chamber 80
of the core
assembly 12 and is also secured thereto by suitable fasteners or adhesives.
The body
portions 100 of the front and rear edge members 90 and 92 are located to the
exterior of the
core assembly 12. The upper shoulder 112 of the front edge member 90 and the
upper
shoulder 112 of the rear edge member 92 extend upwardly above the upper
surface 66 of the
top panel 64 creating a planar and rectangular recess 118 therebetween. The
recess 118 is
adapted to receive one of various types of a work surface panel 120 as may be
desired. The
work surface panel extends between the upper shoulders 112 of the front and
rear edge
members 90 and 92 and covers the entire top panel 64 and flanges 34 and 48 of
the channel
members 30 and 44. The upper surface 122 of the work surface panel 120 is
flush or
coplanar with the upper surfaces 106 of the front and rear edge members 90 and
92. The
heights of the upper shoulders 112 of the edge members 90 and 92 may be
adjusted as
desired to accommodate work surface panels 120 having various different
thicknesses. The
work surface panel 120 may be attached to the top panel 64 and channel members
30 and 44
by suitable adhesives which are well known in the art. The work surface panel
120 may be
chosen from various different types of panels and may be made from various
types of woods,
wood veneers, metal sheets, or plastic laminates, each which may include
various different
surface finishes and patterns.
The edge members 88 may also be made of various different types of materials
as
desired such as wood, plastic or other formable materials which are well
known. The edge
members 88 are preferably made of a formable material such as wood which
allows the
exterior surface 105 of the edge member 88 to be selectively formed,
preferably by routing,
to a desired configuration prior to or after attachment to the core assembly
12 with wood
working machinery or the like. The edge members 88 may also be extruded
plastic, or
8
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
extrudable metal, such as aluminum. The body portions 100 of the edge members
88 may
be formed in various different configurations as desired, such as generally
rounded, as shown
in Figures 5 and 7, or generally rectangular, as shown in Figure 6. In
addition, as shown
in Figures 8 and 9, the edge member 88 may include an elongate groove 126
which is
adapted to receive a tongue 128 of a trim piece 130. The trim piece 130 may be
made from
plastic, wood or other materials and may be formed in various different
configurations and
colors, as desired. Thus, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the same edge member 88
may be
fitted with one of various different configurations of trim pieces 130.
Initially a quantity of core assemblies 12 may be formed and held separately
in
inventory. A plurality of different types of work surface panels 120, formed
with different
materials, patterns and finishes as may be desired by customers, may also be
held separately
in inventory, along with a plurality of different types of edge members 88
formed in various
different types of materials and in various different types of configurations.
The edge
members 88 may also be stored as unformed blanks, as shown in Figure 4. The
desired type
of edge members 88 may be secured to a core assembly 12 and the desired type
of work
surface panel 120 may be quickly and easily secured to the core assembly 12 to
create a top
panel 10 with the desired materials, configuration and finish as desired by
the customer.
Thus if a customer desires a top panel 10 having rounded edge members 88, such
a panel
can be quickly and easily assembled in response to the customer's demands.
As an alternative to maintaining a wide variety of edge members 88 of various
different configurations in inventory, a plurality of edge members 88 having
the same blank
configuration, such as rectangular or rounded, may be held in inventory. Each
edge member
88 may be subsequently formed into a different desired configuration by wood
cutting
9
CA 02239720 1998-06-OS
machinery, such as routers, and/or similar devices, either prior to or after
attachment to the
core assembly 12.
The assembled top panel 10 is adapted to be connected to a support structure,
such
as a vertical table or desk leg, or a panel, at each end of the panel 10
adjacent the channel
members 30 and 44. The channel members may alternatively be abutted against
and
connected to a wall. In addition, while the top panel 10 has been described
herein as
including front and rear, edge members 90 and 92, the top panel 10 may include
only one
edge member 88 or a continuous edge member 88 which extends around the full
periphery
of the panel 10. In the latter alternate, the channel members 30 and 44 may be
eliminated
and replaced by edge chambers similar to the chambers 78 and 80 for the
receipt of left and
right edge members.
Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described
in
connection with the illustrated embodiments of the invention, however, it must
be understood
that these particular arrangements merely illustrate, and that the invention
is to be given its
fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims
